The present invention relates generally to vehicles, such as tractors, and more particularly to axle constructions for the traction wheels of vehicles.
An axle construction of a vehicle typically comprises an axle assembly, usually including drive or transmission means for driving shafts to which the traction wheels are mounted, a housing in which the axle assembly is enclosed, traction wheel shafts extending from the drive means and axle supports which are connected either directly or indirectly to the housing.
Axle constructions which are known in the art usually include numerous diverse components which render such axle constructions relatively expensive and complicated in construction. The traction wheel shaft and axle support or bed on one side of the vehicle is usually of a different configuration from the corresponding shaft and support on the other side of the vehicle due to the fact that the vehicle brakes are asymmetric. This also results in relatively high manufacturing costs as well as high costs in connection with the storage and manufacture of spare parts.